Bobbin clutch



Oct. 16, 1956 B. c. GRlEB BOBBIN CLUTCH Filed Feb. 17, 1954 INVENTOR.

B. CURTIS GRIEB.

United States Patent 2,766,946 BOBBIN CLUTCH Benjamin Curtis Grieb, Charlotte, N. C., assignor to Wlntin Machine Works, Whitinsville, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 17, 1954, 'Serial No. 410,809 2 Claims. (Cl. 242-465) Thisinvention relates to devices for driving bobbins 1n tezrtlle machines, such as spinning or twisting frames. The invention relates more specically to bobbin clutches of the type in which a plurality of driving elements contactan inner surface of a bobbin, and in which the effective engagement of said driving elements with the obbm is due to some extent to the action of centrifugal orce.

It is the general object of this invention to provide a bobbin clutch of the described type in which an inner resilient member coacts with centrifugal force to cause the driving elements to effectively engage and drive a bobbin mounted on an associated spindle.

Further objects are to provide a bobbin clutch of simple construction Iand of relatively low cost, and one in which repairs or replacement of parts may be most easily accomplished.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combmations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional front elevation of my improved clutch, taken along the line 1-1 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the parts shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a cap to be described;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation thereof, taken along the line 4 4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an inside elevation of a driving element or clutch segment;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation, taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the segment shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a plan View of a steel ring to be described;

Fig. 9 is a transverse section thereof;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a resilient ring to be described;

Fig. 11 is a transverse section thereof; and

Fig. l2 is a detail sectional side elevation showing a slight modication.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown parts of a spindle as used in textile machines and comprising a blade having a driving whirl 21 mounted thereon. The spindle is rotated at high speed in the usual manner by a belt or band (not shown) which partially encircles the anged lower portion of the whirl 21.

My improved bobbin clutch is mounted above the whirl 21 and comprises a cap 24, a plurality of driving segments 25, a retaining ring 26 and an inner ring 27 to be formed of suitable resilient material such as rubber or neoprene.

The cap 24 is preferably formed from sheet metal and comprises an upper portion 30 which is a drive or force lit on the spindle blade 20. The bottom surface of the cap 24 comprises inwardly-projecting flanges 32 separated by notches 33.

The segments 25 are shown as three in number and each comprises a segmental shell 35, preferably grooved on its inner surface as indicated at 36. Each segment 25 also has an upwardly-projecting and inwardly-displaced lug 38, centered in its upper edge portion. When the parts are assembled, the lugs 38 are received in the slots 33 of the cap 24 previously described.

The resilient ring 27 is preferably substantially doughnut-shaped, as indicated in Figs. 10 and 11, and is a snug fit on the spindle blade 20. The retaining ring 26 is preferably of steel and is of relatively limited cross section as shown in Fig. 9.

In assembling my improved clutch, the ring 27 and cap 24 are rst mounted on theA blade 20 in desired Vertically-spaced relation. The segments 25 are then assembled around the ring 27 and with their lugs 38 projecting upwardly into the slots 33 in the at lower end portion of the cap 24. The ring 26 is then pushed d own over the cap 24 and over the assembled segments 25 to the position shown in Fig. 1, in which position it rests on the upper end surface of the whirl 21.

The clutch is now completely assembled, and the parts are so proportioned that when a bobbin is placed on the spindle, the segments 25 will be caused to swing inward about the points of engagement of the lower ends of the segments with the ring 26. After the segments have been thus forced inward, the now-compressed resilient ring 27 will push the segments out against the internal surface of the bobbin. At the same time, centrifugal force will tend to swing the segments outward about their engaged lower ends. The bobbin is thus driven by the combined expanding action of the resilient ring 27 and by centrifugal force acting directly on the segments 25.

The grooves 36 on the inner faces of the segments tend to hold the parts in assembled relation and to prevent individual segments from being axially displaced.

lf one of the segments 2.5 should become injured or broken, the ring 26 may be moved upward to release the segments and the injured segment may then be easily taken out and replaced, after which the ring 26 is returned to its operative position.

The resilient ring 27 may also need replacement. After the ring 26 and segments 25 are removed, a new resilient ring can be easily mounted on the blade 20 by stretching the ring down over the cap 24.

Under certain conditions, the ring 26 may be omitted and the upper end of the whirl 21a (Fig. 12) may be provided with a groove 40 to receive the lower ends of the segments 25. This arrangement reduces the number of parts but the removal and replacement of a damaged segment is not facilitated.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not Wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A bobbin clutch structure comprising a spindle blade, a whirl mounted on said blade, a plurality of rigid bobbin-engaging segments loosely encircling said spindle blade and having their upper ends free to swing outward, means to provide a pivotal bearing for the lower ends of said segments on said whirl and to prevent outward movement of said lower ends, a cap mounted on said blade limiting outward swinging movement of the upper ends of said segments, and a resilient ring of rubber or equivalent material mounted on and snugly fitting said blade and engaging said segments adjacent the middle points thereof and effective to swing said segments outward to engage a bobbin mounted on said spindle.

2. The combination of a bobbin clutch as set forth in claim l, in which each segment has a circumferential inner groove, and in which the resilient member comprises a doughnut-shaped ring of rubber or equivalent material which has its outer surface seated in said circumferential grooves.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,647,109 Miller Oct. 25, 1927 1,796,770 Stimpson Mar. 17, 1931 1,895,810 Magrath Jan. 31, 1933 

